Zambia Government has praised the Monze Mission Hospital School of Nursing for its contribution to the pool of highly qualified health personnel in the country.

And Monze Bishop Moses Hamongole says the partnership that exist between government and the Catholic Church would continue to be nourished and strengthened by either party being considerate of each other’s needs.

Speaking during the occasion to mark 50 years of Golden jubilee Celebrations of Monze Nursing School and Midwifery yesterday, Southern Province Permanent Secretary Mwangala Liomba says government acknowledges the huge contribution that Monze School of Nursing has made in the country.

He noted that that the School has continued to churn out well trained nurses of all disciplines adding that the quality health care services offered by graduates from the school was exceptionally in terms of skills.

” Government will continue to appreciates Mission Hospital pool f Nursing for its immerse contribution to a pool of highly qualified health personnel in the country thus help accelerate health care services,” said Mr. Liomba in a speech read on his behalf by his Deputy Permanent Secretary Mr. Kennedy Mubanga.

“I wish to pledge full government support to Monze School of Nursing in order for the institution to continue churning out highly trained health personnel to meet the growing demands in health care services delivery across the country,” he added.

Since its establishment in 1968, the School has trained 1,286 midwives, 1,355 registered nurses and 157 both registered and midwives.

He pointed out that government would continue to fully support the school to meet all its needs to ensure that the school continue to train more health personnel to meet the growing demands for health care services across the country.

Mr. Liomba also noted the challenges the school of Nursing was facing such as lack of accommodation, and lecture rooms for the school to expand and increase enrollments rates.

The PS who pledged K5,000 towards jubilee activities such as expansion of the school, radio programmes, school rehabilitation further advised students to continue to learn values and skills that would help them to deliver exceptionally quality health cares services once employed.

And Bishop Hamungole said the Catholic church would continue to nurture the partnership with government to ensure that the school is sustained adding that it was the Catholic Church’s commitment to train medical personnel that would remain relevant to society despite the changing times.

The Bishop explained that the increase in the number of services offered by Monze Mission Hospital exposed the shortage of qualified Zambian Health professionals and thus the training of local personnel was a priority for the Church in Monze Diocese resulting in the training of Zambia Enrolled midwives(ZEM) started in 1968 while that of Zambia Enrolled Nursed(ZEN) started in 1971.

” Am conscious of the partnership that that exist between the Catholic Church and government in ensuring that this school is sustained. This partnership will continue to be nourished and strengthened by either party being considerate of each other’s’ needs because our commitment as a Church is to train medical personnel that will be relevant to our society despite the changing times,” said Bishop Hamungole.

“The increase in the number of services offered by Monze Mission Hospital exposed the shortage of qualified Zambian Health professionals and thus the training of local personnel was a priority for the Church in Monze Diocese and this resulted in the training of Zambia Enrolled midwives(ZEM) started in 1968 while that of Zambia Enrolled Nursed (ZEN) started in 1971,” added the Bishop.

The Bishop also took time to advise both current and future student to religiously keep the values of the school to shape their character.

Meanwhile, Hospital Superintendent Dr Eugine Kaunda says the student uptake has continued to increase adding that plans are in the pipeline to expand the school infrastructure to meet the training needs.

He also thanked government for completion of the students hostels, dining hall and kitchen at the new school campus.